Tag: Tunic

Summer is coming

As the weather gets sunnier, some of the many tunics I’ve made for work had to be taken out of rotation – flannel was too warm, and the darker ones weren’t right for the sunshine.

So this weekend I made three more.

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It was totally assembly line sewing.  I cut the pieces out in multiples and did all the steps in multiples of three (or six in the case of the sleeves).

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Normally I am not a pinner, but with the sleeves especially I used a lot of pins to ease in the curve of the sleeve caps.

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They are quite shapeless on the hangers, but I do add in waist shaping, and they are very comfortable to wear.  I can be active in them without getting too hot and the fabric makes me feel cheerful.  And with all these tunics, I never have to spend much time thinking about what to wear.

As always, modified versions of Dress no. 2 from 100 Acts of Sewing.  Two scoop necks, one v neck, and the ice cream cones version has ties in the back.

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First finish of 2019

Welcome 2019!  Asking, nay pleading – please don’t have all the crazy of 2018.  We need some calm and sanity to even it out.

My Dress no. 2 obsession (compulsion?) continues into the new year as I finished two more flannel tunics, bringing the number of work wear tunics to ten.

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These are both from Robert Kaufman Mammoth flannel, the same fabric as my gold and gray check.  I loved that first one because it is thick and warm, important in the winter in my library as all the heat goes up to the open second story, leaving none for the people far below.

This one got back ties.

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All the plaid may be a bit lumberjack, but I will be warm and comfortable, and the red and black are my school’s colors so I’m set for spirit days.  And hey, I live in the Pacific Northwest.  We live for plaid flannel. It goes with our Birkenstocks-and-socks.

I screwed up a bit on the blue and gray version.  I was so eager to cut into the fabric that I forgot all about matching the lines on the side seams.  I realized it as soon as I finished cutting out the body pieces, sadly too late to do anything about it.  I was more careful cutting the red and black.

My plan is to pause on these now that I have two weeks of work days worth now, but who knows when the need for just one more will strike?

I had long strips of left over fabric so I ran a narrow hem up each edge and made two long scarves.  I can spend some TV time pulling strings from the end to fringe them.

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Wishing you all a warm, healthy, happy new year.

 

How many does this make?

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More tunic fabric arrived in the mail, and was quickly attacked with pins and scissors.  I think that this makes numbers 6 & 7 from the pattern for Dress no. 2.  You can see some of the others here and here.

I made a few different adjustments this time.  As usual, I shortened the pattern to tunic length and left off the patch pockets.  I also tried out a v-neck instead of the scoop,  and narrowed the back a bit to replace the darts that I’d added to the others.  For the butterfly version, I added a tie in the back.  So, you know, totally different than the last five.  🙂

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There was one major screw-up.  I cut both front and back at the same time, and I forgot to remove the back piece when I cut the v-neck out on the butterfly version, making a v-neckline in the back as well as the front.  I mulled adding a contrast color insert to fill it back in, as you can see in the pic below, but ended up just getting another length of the fabric to recut with a higher neckline.

Oops.

My work wardrobe continues to expand, filling up with these oh-so-comfortable and colorful tunics.  They don’t look terribly flattering on the hanger, but I like the length and the roominess and it is fun finding the next fabric to use.

The fabric for #8 is on deck – plaid flannel next, for the cooler weather coming in.

Dress No. 2, #3

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I got the neck facing and hemming done on my third tunic made with the Dress No. 2 pattern and have already worn it to work at the library, where I ran around making everyone admire the book checkout card fabric.  We all agreed that finding such a specific fabric was a sign – though a sign of what is still a little iffy.  Maybe that it is OK that I’m going to keep making the same pattern over and over?

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I made all the same modifications, but I think I didn’t take it in quite enough with the tucks – it feels roomier than the other two, to an excess.  Easily solved with a few minutes at the sewing machine.

I did get another pattern in the mail this week, so there may be some variation in the clothes sewing in the near future.

Another tunic-to-be, so not a huge change, but a slightly more complex pattern.

Although I still have two more Dress No. 2s already in the works that just need the finishing details, so I’m not moving on yet.

Getting away

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Another fiber friends weekend has flashed past.  This time we met up halfway between the northern people and the southern people, at an Air BnB house in Olympia.  Tucked into a quiet little neighborhood we sewed and spun and knit and played with fiber.  Also, there was wine.  🙂

I cut out and sewed most of three more tunics based on the Dress No. 2 pattern.  I got as far as the neck bands before I broke the sewing machine needle on a misplaced pin and had to stop.  But look at this book card fabric I found!  Perfect for my job as a high school librarian.

Leslie 1 (50% of the group is named Leslie) brought her blending board and showed us how to make rolags, which you need if you want to spin in true woolen fashion.  And it makes it really easy to mix up colors and fiber types.  There is cotton, wool, angora, and alpaca in those sample rolls.

I added another big chunk to my 1×1 ribbed stash-eating scarf.  I’m holding three strands together for a marled effect.

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There was knitting in public, which greatly intrigued the wait staff at the Three Magnets Brewing Co. when we ventured out of the house in search of cold drinks on a very hot day.

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Look at all the handspun my friend Paige has created and accumulated! This is just the fraction I could fit in the photo.

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I tremendously enjoy each of these weekend getaways.  Like minded people laughing together, plus fiber.  How can that not be great?

 

Dress no. 2, 1 & 2

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It was a weekend of alphabet sewing.  The pattern for Dress no. 2 from 100 Acts of Sewing came and I started in immediately with two alphabet covered fabrics I bought while waiting out the mail.

I want a bunch of tunics to wear to work, and this simple pattern – there are only three pattern pieces – means I can whip out a lot of tops without a lot of sewing trauma.

I traced and cut out my size, and then started modifying.  I wanted a tunic rather than a dress (although this would be a pretty short dress) so I left off some length.  When I tried on the body it was much too full in the front for the look I was going for, so I added some waist shaping and tucks.  I left off the pockets as well.  Other than all that, I sewed the pattern as is.  🙂

And I only had to bring out the seam ripper once, when I sewed the neck bias tape to the wrong side because I wasn’t paying attention.

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It fits, is comfortable, and will be great for work.

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I immediately started the second one.

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Exact same modifications, even quicker finish, and I love them both.

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I’m already planning the next two.

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Franken-shirt

While others were creating sawdust this weekend, I got a little time on the sewing machine.  First I made a couple of dog bed covers for my brother (discovering along the way that I will never sew with rubber/plastic backed outdoor fabric ever again!) and then today I made a tunic that I’ve been meaning to try for a while.

After chopping apart a men’s shirt from Goodwill and a long sleeve T I had on hand:

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I sewed the two together.  A few pleats to make them fit and the addition of belt-like section where they join, and I have a nearly finished tunic.  I want to add a couple buttons to the belt and I need to complete the top stitching, but I like the finished result.  Not slimming, but very comfy.

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Moving on

Some days I have to remind myself that there is joy in the process, not just the product. Today was one of those days. After cutting and sewing and puzzling out pattern directions and sewing and ripping and sewing again, I got far enough along with the pullover cotton shirt I’ve really wanted to have to try it on.

Let’s just say it did not go well.

Apparently, my weight gain has been a lot more – is impactful a word? – than I had realized.

And it isn’t as if this was a tight fitting outfit! It is a damn tunic! I’m bitter.

Bitter, but I also got on the treadmill for an hour, so the process part of all this continues.

As for the product, it now belongs to my mother. Who, I’m sorry to say, is gloating a little bit about the fact that it fits her. I’m no longer sorry I made her climb on that chair in the wind and rain yesterday!

I made version D with the long, cuffed sleeves. Both Mom and I didn’t like the width or stiffness of the cuffs, so despite all the wrestling and ripping out and resewing I did to get the covered plackets right, in the end I whacked them off and did turned up 3/4 sleeves. Much better.

I’m not giving up on having something new to wear. I dialed back the ambition and got out the pattern for a V neck t-shirt that I know fits me and I’m sewing again.